Ikuchi
The Ikuchi (イクチ, Ikuchi) are legendary creatures of the sea that are widely accepted as nothing more than a fairy tale some humans tell stories of. Little do they know that these creatures truly exist, and that records of such legendary beasts were chronicled by the ancestors of those who dubbed them a myth, whom the Ikuchi regarded as worthy enough to earn the knowledge of their existence. Although the true origins of these creatures remain a mystery even to senior members of their own species, it is known that they originate from Yuanren, particularly the depths of the Hati Ruins. Characteristics Depictions told stories of the Ikuchi of what they are, massive fish-like creatures that inhabit the seas of the World of the Living. They are scarce in number and regarding information about them none possesses a full one. However, sightings of these creatures were told from generations to generations, to the fact that the humans must be in complete aware of misty seas covered in thick mists, or even open seas where the shadowy waters seem to mirror the silhouette of an enlarged serpent, places of which most Ikuchi were found. With the lack of evidence, however, these depictions say little and worth little as well to those who trust in reality beliefs more than mystical beings such as the Ikuchi. The Ikuchi establish little to no relationships at all with other spiritual beings. Their status are unknown to the profound majority of other beings, though they stood still within the side of neither good or evil, as their intentions were discreet. Many may say they side as their own, attacking only as means of vengeance after a fallen other or as a defensive option to hold out their existence in spite of the fact that these creatures possess an entirely different prowess that cannot be accessed by any other and the fact so was acknowledged by many. The reason as of to why it is so discreet is to protect their secrets, as they know the other beings so that they would wage a fight against the Ikuchi as means to discovering what they truly are and what or how are they like. Neutrality stands before them to maintain such status. These creatures want nothing more than bliss of their kind through the silence of others, thus they prefer to live within the boundaries of Yuánrǎng as means to fulfill their wishes. They do not truly wish to be recognized by many or famed with, their only existence was to only aggravate the beliefs of many, and in thus they would not do so. The fact that some were found within the World of the Living is to point the fact that the younger ones are doomed to boredom by the peace of Yuánrǎng and wishes to search places of which they can relax and enjoy sights other than the typical realm they are native to along with keeping their existence a secret. Appearance Many depictions told humans of large, eel-like creatures inhabiting the depths of the seas, or massive fish that, once encountered, one may never see the end of its tail. The truth, however, has yet to be uncovered by the humans, and their curiosity increases by each moment, even as far as creating a variety of rumors regarding these creatures. These creatures assume various forms, though they all share the same basic shape; the shape of a massive, serpentine dragon-like eel. Their skin also vary in terms of color, though the most common color is assumed to be dark green of sorts. They have carapace-like armor covering their main body parts, shielding their internal organs from potential threats. Some may exhibit a crowned head, symbolizing their supremacy over general spiritual beings, while most exhibit what is generally common among the creatures of the seas. Characteristics such as dorsal and or pectoral fins, caudal fins, sails, tentacles, and gill slits can be found among them, although they do not look exactly the same as each vary to a certain degree. It is also interesting to note that some also exhibit claws like that of a crab and or lobster as well as thin harpoon-like legs. Their various body parts allow them to properly live underwater and resist the extreme pressure of the abyss, while their accessories allow them to swiftly swim underwater. Abilities The Ikuchi possess a wild variety of powers superior to any of the conventional beings; though their powers mainly manifest within the form of Kidō, they also boast a number of lesser known capabilities though even so these lesser known abilities possess properties exceeding those of normal levels. These abilities include: *'Transcendent Spiritual Power': As beings of immense supremacy, it is natural that the Ikuchi are reiryoku powerhouses. The magnitude of their prowess in battle is of gargantuan levels. Most young Ikuchi would already have the reiryoku required to rival Gotei 13's Captain-class combatants, while more elderly Ikuchi possess an untold amount of reiryoku powerful enough to overwhelm several Captain-class combatants at once. Though their prowess remains to be one of their more noticeable traits, most Ikuchi chose to mask their presence, hiding their true potential from unworthy observers. A downfall yet a great example of their immense prowess is that they are visible to all beings, even to non-spiritually-aware beings. *'Kidō Proficiency': Indubitably the Ikuchi's most desirable apparatus to perform their offensive and defensive capabilities, all Ikuchi are, without exception, naturally gifted Kidō artists from the moment of their birth. Their proficiency in Kidō is broad in scope and vary wildly among individuals. Young Ikuchi are capable of casting a certain level of Kidō which the Shinigami classify as illegal, while elderly Ikuchi rarely demonstrate their capabilities in Kidō, although it is assumed that their level would be beyond what is already supernatural. *'Shape-Shifting': Perhaps one of the Ikuchi's most cunning techniques is their ability to change their appearance. Although the scope of this capability is relatively narrow, unlike their previous ability, it functions as a medium which allows them to construct relationships with other spiritual beings. The most common form assumed by the Ikuchi is the stereotypical human form; through their human forms, which assume several key traits present within their true serpentine forms, most Ikuchi unlock several highly valuable abilities such as masking their existence as Ikuchi, blend in with other spiritual beings and co-exist alongside them. *'Underwater Attributes': The features that each Ikuchi individual sports are not simple ornaments; each hold a certain function which allows the Ikuchi to properly live underwater. This ability is mostly characterized by their ability to breathe both under and above the water, while their superficial biological structure is extremely durable, durable enough to withstand the extreme pressure of abyssal depths. Their seemingly ornamental accessories also hold a key function in their ability to swim, and as such, damages done to these body parts would result in their significantly reduced ability to swim. More elderly Ikuchi have demonstrated the ability to swim with beyond above-average speed even when in the abyss. Behind the Scenes *The appearance of the Ikuchi shown in this article is based on Cetus, a legendary sea creature from the movie Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. *This article was originally prepared for the FC Project; it later became a part of the SNC Project instead. Category:Ikuchi